Can I Tell Them?
by Angel Weasel-Woman
Summary: Sequal to Late Night Visit Jounouchi decides to tell his friends about being adopted, but is afraid of how they will react. What is he going to do? Should be last one in the Adopted series.


The sun's glow gently caressed the ground, bathing all it reached in a warm light that was quickly contradicted by the cool autumn breeze. A few puffy, white clouds drifted in the baby blue sky, only adding to the sweet serenity of the world. Tree leaves rustled and a few dully colored leaves swirled in the latest zephyr, unaware they were being watched carefully by a blonde teen with troubled oak eyes sitting under a large weeping willow, his knees drawn up to his chest.

Why was he even going do this? Why was he all set to go through the rejection that he knew he would face? Why couldn't he have just left a note and run away? Why did he want to see them in person at such a time? Such thoughts whirled in the teen's mind as he unconsciously tightened his grip on the backpack beside him.

So lost in contemplation was he, that he jumped when a hand was suddenly waved in front of his face, a voice calling out, "Oi, Jou. Earth to Jounouchi."

The blonde blinked and looked into the green-brown eyes of his friend Hiroto Honda. The brown-haired teen gave Jou a lopsided grin and looked into his eyes.

"What's with you lookin' all serious and stuff?"

Jou smiled back. "I was just thinking."

"Thinking? Since when can _you_ think?" Honda questioned in mock-surprise as he gave the blonde a playful shove, smiling as a happy spark appeared in his once dull eyes.

"Honda," a soft voice spoke up, "stop teasing Jounouchi-kun, it's mean."

The two boys looked up to see a boy with spiky black, red and blonde hair and wide violet eyes headed their way. Walking alongside him was a tall girl with short-chopped brown hair and bright blue eyes.

"Hey Yuugi, hi Anzu," Jou greeted, the joyous glimmer in his eyes fading and his smile faltering at how the two would react once he told them what he needed to.

"So, Jou," Anzu said, "just why did you call us all here?"

Jou gave a sad smile and stood, slinging his backpack over his shoulder. "I just wanted to say good-bye in person."

" 'Good-bye'?" Honda yelped, frowning at his friend.

"What do you mean, Jounouchi-kun?" Yuugi asked, hoping it didn't mean what he thought it did.

The blonde gave a sad smile and looked upon the small group of friends he had. "I'm leaving Domino - for good. I'm not coming back."

The group stared at him in disbelief. "Why are you… running away, Jou?" Anzu managed, whispering the last words as though afraid to utter them.

Jou sighed softly. "I can't really tell you. All I'm really gonna say is, good-bye." And with that, the teen began to walk out of the park, his friends watching him leave, unable to do anything in their shock. Suddenly, he paused and glanced over his shoulder at them.

"And one more thing - I'm adopted. My real name is Jounouchi Crawford."

Without waiting for a response, he faced forward again and bolted out of the park, fleeing, was he thought was, the condemning eyes of his friends.

In actuality, the blonde's friends couldn't believe what was going on. The bubbling, care-free, blonde Jounouchi was actually running away?

Yuugi was the first to get over his shock. Slowly it dawned on him that his friend, his best, and first, friend in the entire world, was gone. Tears welled in his lavender eyes as he gently murmured, "Jounouchi-kun…"

Jounouchi sighed as he glanced at his watch. It had been almost an hour since he had said good-bye to his friends and during that time, he had gotten on a bus that was headed to the airport, having used some of the inheritance he'd received from his father to get a ticket for a non-stop flight to America .

Biting his bottom lip, he reached into his pocket and drew out two Duel Monster cards.

Toon World and the Blue Eyes Toon Dragon.

Though he had no idea as to how he had gained possession of those cards, he knew that he would never let them go. They were the only _real_ thing of his father's he had.

Feeling the bus slow as it neared another stop, he gently placed the cards back in his pocket. He was _never_ going to let go of those cards.

When the bus paused, three girls got on board. One was tall and appeared about sixteen or so with short strawberry blonde hair and shining hazel eyes. She wore a blue t-shirt and a pair of jeans. The next was only slightly shorter, but appeared about the same age, with long brown hair that fell to her knees in a braid and shining brown eyes peered out from behind golden glasses. She wore a pair of jeans with a black turtleneck and was bound up in a long black trench coat with a baby blue bandanna around her head. The final, looking only between five and ten, had long blonde hair in a low ponytail and shimmering green eyes. She wore a long-sleeved emerald shirt and deep green jeans.

As the bus started moving, the auburn haired one tugged on the sleeve of the other teen and dragged her to sit next to Jou, the child following them. Plopping in the chair next to the blonde, the brown haired girl smiled at him.

"How've you been lately?" she asked, as though addressing a close friend of hers.

At the familiarity in her tone, Jou looked carefully at the girl, trying to remember if he knew her. "Do I… know you…?"

"Most likely not," she answered, smiling brightly as the other teen groaned slightly. "But still, how _have_ you been?"

"Imoto…" the blonde teen narrowed her eyes slightly in warning.

Jou smiled gently and looked at the younger kid. "I've been fine."

"No you haven't," the smallest spoke, looking at Jou. "If you were, she -" she pointed to the brown haired one "- wouldn't've bothered sitting here."

The male gave a sad smile. "You're right. I haven't been so good…"

"Where are you from?" the taller girl asked suddenly.

"Domino."

"Really?" The middle teen beamed at him. "That's where we're headed." At those words, the other two gave her looks of "we are?"

There was a split-second pause before realization filled the tallest's hazel eyes. "Oh yeah, we are, aren't we?"

The slightly shorter smiled and nodded before turning back to Jou. "So, just what happened there?"

The blonde nibbled his bottom lip and looked at his knees. "I told some friends of mine that I was adopted and left."

Chocolate brown eyes blinked in confusion. "Why would you leave because you were adopted?"

"Because my real father… wasn't very liked by them…"

"But," the taller peered into his face, "why would _you_ leave? You're not your father, are you?"

"Well…" Now that he thought about it, why did he leave? Would his friends really leave him because of his parents? "I…" He was at a loss for words.

"So you left your home for no da-" the tall blonde shot the brown haired girl a glare and tilted her head slightly in the child's direction "-aarn reason?"

"I… I guess…"

He was given a dull look by the chocolate eyes girl. "You're an idiot," she deadpanned.

The blonde gave a nervous chuckle and watched as the bus slowed, preparing to stop. "Hey, do any of you know when the next bus to Domino is?"

"It should stop here in about ten minutes," the blonde said.

"Thanks." He stood as the bus opened its doors. As he walked off the bus, he heard the small child ask, "Are we really going to Domino?"

Yuugi gave a sad whimper as he stepped into the bus station, looking around for his blonde friend. He still couldn't believe Anzu's reaction in the earlier.

~*~*~*~*~*_flash_*~*~*~*~*~

When the trio of friends all recovered from their shock, each had a different reaction to their loss.

Yuugi collapsed to his knees, tears slipping down his cheeks as he continued to look in the direction of his friend's leaving. Honda whirled about and slammed his fist into a nearby tree, tears burning in his eyes, but he refused to let them fall.

Anzu, though, turned sharply on her heel and began to walk away.

At the sound of soft footsteps on the grass, Yuugi turned and looked at his friend, narrowing his eyes in confusion.

"Anzu? Where are you going?"

The brown haired girl looked over her shoulder with a glare. "I'm leaving."

"What?" Honda looked up at Anzu with narrowed eyes. "What are you talking about, we have to find Jounouchi!"

"What are _you talking about? Didn't you hear him?"_

"_Of course I heard him - he's gone!"_

"I'm not talking about that - his name!"

"What about it?"

"Jounouchi _Crawford - as in_ Pegasus J Crawford_."_

Honda blinked and leaned back slightly. "What are you talking about?"

"A while back I head a rumor that Pegasus had a son and Jounouchi just proved it true."

"But... That means that Jou…"

"Does it matter?" Yuugi asked, looking at the pair, causing them to look into his teary eyes.

"What?"

"Does it really matter," Yuugi repeated, "who Jounouchi's dad is?"

Honda blinked and slowly shook his head. "No. It doesn't. No matter who is family is - he's still my best friend."

Anzu gaped, unbelievingly at the pair before growling and storming off.

Honda glared at her retreating back before going over to help Yuugi to his feet. "How about that? She preaches on and on friendship and there she goes, walking off when a friend's in need." He glanced down at Yuugi. "I guess that leaves it up to you and me to find him, huh?"

Yuugi nodded and the two quickly conversed about where they would look for their blonde friend and where they would meet up before bolting off, calling out Jounouchi's name.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Jounouchi stepped off the bus, drawing a deep breath into his lungs. He was back. Now all he needed was to find his friends and talk to them.

As he made his way through the packed bus station, he noticed a small hole in the crowd. And in that hole, he noticed the tips of black and red hair sticking up.

His face split into a grin as he called out his friend's name.

He noticed the hole in the crowd pause. As he watched, Yuugi jumped up, just barely managing to look over the heads of the people around him. When Yuugi jumped again, calling out the blonde's name, Jou noticed the broad grin on his face.

Pushing his way through the people, the blonde managed his way to his friend. Standing before one another, the two looked into each other's eyes, fear that the other would leave hiding in the back of them.

Suddenly, Yuugi flew forward, wrapping his arms tightly around Jou's waist and burying his face in the blonde's stomach. Slightly surprised, though he knew he shouldn't be, he gently placed his arms about the other's shoulders, feeling the boy's body shaking with sobs.

Even over the loud chatter of the people about him, Jou could still hear Yuugi's whispered pleas, interrupted by occasional sobs, of, "Don't leave… Please… don't leave again…"

Jou glanced up, and, through the crowd, he saw a tall man with shoulder-length silver hair and soft amber eyes, an arm about the waist of a blonde woman with bright blue eyes. Both were smiling proudly at him.

When Jou blinked, the two were gone, but he knew just who they were and what they had been doing there.

Looking back to the small boy in his arms, he began gently caressing the boy's back.

Quietly, though he knew Yuugi could hear him, he whispered, "Don't worry - I'm not going anywhere anymore."

Tis done! *looks over fic* And tis long too.

Yami: *looks over fic as well* … Where am I?

Kura : *ditto* And me?

Angel: *points at Yami* You - no one knows. *points at Bakura* You - no one knows.

Yami and Kura : ¬_¬;;;; My aren't we loved…

Angel: *glomps Yami* ^___^

Yami: *roll eyes* Aren't you forgetting something?

Angel: *makes face* Fine, I don't own YuugiOu. But I do own the brown haired girl on the bus. My friend owns the other two. Ja ne! 


End file.
